GRIDSERVE makes EV ‘holiday hotspot’ index
An electric vehicle ‘holiday hotspot’ index has been created by charging provider GRIDSERVE for the summer holidays across the UK.
The EV Holiday Hotspot Index will help EV-driving travellers looking to holiday at UK tourist attractions this year. New data shows 57% of British families are planning a ‘staycation’ this year, embarking on journeys averaging between 100 and 200 miles.
Around half of the UK’s tourist attractions are unreachable by public transport, with the majority of holidaymakers travelling by car, emitting more than 600,000 tonnes of CO2 in 2023’s holiday season alone. Around 38,000 acres of trees would need to be planted to offset these journeys – an area larger than Bristol.
As a result, the EV Holiday Hotspot Index provides an easy-to-use ranking of the top 10 UK tourist attractions that have convenient and reliable charging infrastructure nearby for EV owners, giving them the confidence to enjoy and explore the best this nation has to offer.
To create the Index, GRIDSERVE analysed the most popular tourist attractions across the country and calculated an overall score out of 100, based on the proximity to a GRIDSERVE Electric Super Hub or Electric Forecourt.
It also considered the number of DC connectors available per visitor, the number of AC chargers per visitor – that support longer dwell charging at stops such as supermarkets and shopping centres – plus the availability of EV charging at nearby hotels, B&Bs, caravan parks and other accommodation.
The UK’s top EV-friendly tourist attractions according to GRIDSERVE are:
1. Beamish, the Living Museum of the North
3. Durham Cathedral
4. Hampton Court Palace –
5. Eden Project
6. National Railway Museum
7. Pugneys Country Park
8. Millennium Gallery
9. The Bodleian Library
10. Stonehenge
Laura Hardy, Chief Communications Officer of GRIDSERVE, said: “We know that limited public transport and nervousness around EV charging options can be a challenge for some visitors, particularly those looking to travel more sustainably. That’s why our EV Holiday Hotspot Index is so important. It’s designed to help drivers make informed decisions and increase confidence in EV travel across the UK.
“The Index will enable drivers to pinpoint their perfect staycation and cut emissions along the way. It is a truly fantastic resource that will continually update as we expand our UK-wide network of High Power EV chargers at the speed and scale that is needed to help move the needle on climate change.”
Becca Chaplin, motoring journalist and owner of Road Trip Club, said: “For young families like mine, it’s so important to have the reassurance that EV charging will be readily available at the locations we visit. With EV adoption growing and staycations remaining ever-popular, GRIDSRVE’s Index will help families plan visits that work the best for them, from museums, to castles, to galleries.
“We used the EV Holiday Hotspot Index to plan our latest family staycation, where we drove nearly 400 miles from Portsmouth to County Durham to visit Beamish Museum, the top-ranked attraction on the Index. We planned our journey around some of GRIDSERVE’s new Electric Super Hubs, which offer the latest High Power EV chargers and in banks of six, 12 or more, and that really takes the stress out of charging.”
